Solutions

The "empowering people. Network" aims to identify and foster innovative technology that tries to solve basic supply problems around the globe. See some of the most promising innovations in our Solutions Database below.

The description of the project is credit to the submitting organization. For more information on the evaluation process read here.

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Energy

Information & Communication

Food & Agriculture

Water & Waste Water

Sheltering

Waste Management

Healthcare

Integral Solutions

Education

Geofilters

Results:Projects

Europe

Africa

All

Asia & Middle East

Latin America

North America

Oceania

Results:Projects

AguaClara Water...

Water treatment plants that produce US EPA standard drinking...

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AguaClara Water Treatment System

Categories:
Water & Waste Water

Organization: AguaClara

Website: http://www.aguaclarallc.com/

Contact: Maysoon Sharif

Email: info@aguaclarallc.com

Used by: Honduras, India

Solution:
AguaClara builds water treatment plants that produce US EPA standard drinking water and can be owned and operated by small communities with limited resources. Our technologies are built entirely out of inexpensive locally-available materials, do not require highly-skilled labor to operate, and run without any electricity.
The facilities use state-of-the-art chemical dosing that eliminates failures due to software, electronics, pumps, and computers. Widely available, either aluminum sulfate or poly-aluminum chloride is used as the coagulant. Coagulant aids are not needed because AguaClara design, based on computational fluid dynamics analysis, eliminates floc break up. The revolutionary open process design with no enclosed tanks reduces construction costs, simplifies maintenance, and provides feedback to the operator for optimal plant performance. The AguaClara Stacked Rapid Sand Filter operates without afiltered water storage tank or backwash pumps. The advanced filter fluidics control system eliminates the need for large control valves, pneumatics, and electronics. Water is disinfected with liquid chlorine to kill any remaining pathogens.

Solution:
The AIDFI Ram Pump is a perfected model of a forgotten technology: the Hydraulic Ram Pump. A Ram is a device which utilizes the energy contained in falling water (hydro power) to lift a portion of this water to high elevations 24/7. For the AIDFI model there are hardly any operating costs since it doesn’t use electricity or fuel and has very cheap locally available spare parts (ordinary door hinge and valve from an old car tire). The AIDFI model is a crossbreed (best of both) of expensive-heavy-duty-cast models commercially available and inferior-low-cost models developed by Appropriate Technology Groups and Universities. The AIDFI Ram Pump compared to other ram pumps uses a steel to steel impulse valve mechanism, making regular and costly replacement of gaskets unnecessary. This unique mechanism makes the model also very efficient. The highest elevation reached so far in actual setting has been 240 meters and can most probably go beyond that. Another uniqueness is that the pumps are made one by one as per order and are already available in ten different sizes with each pump having a specific flow range making it a perfect solution for either drinking or irrigation projects.

Solution:
FARMIS is an innovation aimed at getting small scale farmers to adopt comprehensive record-keeping for their farming enterprises. This gives them bargaining power to engage with and access services from financial institutions, input providers and sources of technical information, boosting production, increasing income and nutrition options.

Solution:
Barsha, meaning rain in Nepalese, is the name given to this hydro-powered irrigation pump. It has been developed with a vision to provide a sustainable irrigation solution to farmers across the world. This waterwheel utilizes the energy from the flow of rivers and canals to pump water, regardless of the flow velocity. Requiring no fuel or electricity to be operated means that there are no operating expenses and no polluting greenhouse gases emitted.
The Barsha pump is made with indigenous elements and does not need much maintenance as there are only few moving parts. As a result of these factors, the Barsha pump can save over 70% of watering costs for farmers, compared to conventionally-used fossil-fuel based pumps.

BEMPU Hypothermia...

BEMPU Hypothermia Alert Bracelet

Categories:
Healthcare

Organization: Bempu Health

Website: http://www.bempu.com/

Contact: Ratul Narain

Email: ratul@bempu.com

Used in: India

Solution:
BEMPU is a temperature monitoring wristband for newborn babies. The wristband intuitively alerts a parent if the baby’s temperature drops and the baby becomes hypothermic. Compared to current standards of care, the device reliably prevents hypothermia and its complications, and it promotes kangaroo mother care (skin-to-skin care) in low-resource clinics and homes.

Solution:
The Biogas Backpack is a pillow shaped balloon from flexible, gas tight material, plastic sheet and fabric. The two inner layers are made of gas tight PE-sheet, welded at the two open ends and equipped with a welded, threaded flange, holding a mini ball valve. The backpack is filled with biogas from the biogas plant by simple pressure equalization instead of by pump or compressor. Therefore, it does not need to be equipped with a security valve to release gas in the case of over pressure.

Breezergy Micro Wind...

Breezergy Micro Wind Turbine

Categories:
Energy

Organization: SkyWind Company

Website: www.breezergy.com

Contact: Fritz Unger

Email: fritz.unger@myskywind.com

Used in: Germany

Solution:
Breezergy is an innovative and reliable micro wind turbine with patented metal rotor blades. The special feature is a one-piece rotor blade with a diameter of 1.5 meters which transmits hardly any wind pressure onto the mounting structure. It is easy to use and install, capable of charging batteries and powering appliances all over the world.

Café Compadre

Café Compadre

Categories:
Food & Agriculture

Organization: Compadre

Website: http://www.compadre.pe

Contact: Juan Pablo Perez Panduro

Email: juanpablo@compadre.pe

Used in: Peru

Solution:
This is a technology developed to roast coffee beans using sunlight – the energy source most widely available to farmers. The solution concentrates the rays of the sun on a rotating drum containing coffee beans. The sturdy device has been developed for use in rural areas and can be maintained locally, boosting its resilience. With the capacity to roast 1 kg of coffee beans in approximately 15–25 minutes, this roasting technology is fairly comparable to the timelines and capacities of conventional roasting equipment of the same dimensions.

Ciudad Saludable

Ciudad Saludable

Categories:
Waste Management, Integral Solutions

Organization: Ciudad Saludable

Website: www.ciudadsaludable.org

Contact: Albina Ruiz

Email: info@ciudadsaludable.org

Operating in: Latin America and India

Solution:
Ciudad Saludable (Healthy City), headquartered in Peru, is improving the living conditions, income and health of millions of poor people in Peru and Latin America―and increasingly also beyond Latin America―by creating efficient solid waste management systems and sustainable microenterprises that improve the livelihoods of waste pickers. Ciudad Saludable has a systemic approach that includes all stakeholders.

Cold climate Biogas...

Cold climate Biogas for rural households

Categories:
Energy, Waste Management

Organization: ADRA Austria

Website: http://www.adra.at/en/english.html

Contact: Marcel Wagner

Email: m.wagner@adra.at

Used by: North Korea

Solution:
Biogas production bacteria need >15°C to produce methane. This limits biogas use in colder climates. However in winter, people need energy most. A cheap heating/insulation source is needed.
The innovation: Around a standard fermenter design a compartment is built and filled with compost (mixed straw and manure). The compartment outer wall is insulated with rice-shell ash or equivalent material. Good compost reaches a temperature of up to 60°C and heats the fermenter for 3-4 months. With permanent sub-zero temperatures of more than 2 weeks, the biogas plant is to be covered by a greenhouse. Cold-climate agriculture needs greenhouses to cultivate seedling to prepare for the planting season. The greenhouse is added-value and the fermented manure (alkaline fertilizer) can be used to fertilize greenhouse soil.
To improve the efficiency of fermentation, the greenhouse back wall is built with heat storing material and painted black to heat up at day time and radiate at night time. The front side is covered by rice straw mats during night time.

CTI Shredder

CTI Shredder

Categories:
Food & Agriculture

Organization: Compatible Technology International (CTI)

Website: www.compatibletechnology.org

Email: cti@compatibletechnology.org

Used by: Haiti and Hawaii (Prototype)

Solution:
The CTI Shredder enables farmers and small enterprises to transform spoilage-prone fruits and vegetables into shreds that can be dried and processed into higher-value food products. Shredding and drying firm-fleshed crops such as potatoes, cassava and breadfruit gives families the opportunity to preserve their crops, meaning they would no longer need to choose between hastily selling off their harvest at low prices or risk losing it to spoilage. The shreds can be processed into flour or other value-added products and sold in the market, giving impoverished families the opportunity to improve their food security and increase their incomes.

Drip Irrigation by...

Drip Irrigation by EOS International

Categories:
Food & Agriculture, Water & Waste Water

Organization: EOS International

Website: http://eosinternational.org

Contact: Wesley Meier

Email: wesley.meier@eosintl.org

Used by: Nicaragua

Solution:
EOS International has produced a drip irrigation system that costs 20 USD and efficiently distributes water to a 50 m2 farm plot using local materials found in rural Nicaragua. The system provides simple, novel improvements to conventional drip irrigation systems in order to reduce cost while remaining reliable and robust. For example, traditionally used water containers, typically 55 gallon barrels, are replaced with a 80 l / 20 gal water sack consisting of a garbage bag reinforced with a sack. We also utilize a cloth, which can be as simple as a piece of old clothing, wrapped around a 2 l plastic bottle (cut in half) as an interchangeable filter. Unnecessary components including extra valves or PVC pipes are removed resulting in a super-low-cost, simple design. Finally, we use a drill to manually create water holes throughout the drip tape hoses. These simple yet effective solutions allow farmers in the poorest rural regions of Nicaragua to gain access to simple yet effective drip irrigation systems.

Solution:
Different earth construction techniques are used all over the world. The main material for the construction is soil that can be obtained locally. Ancient earth construction techniques have been improved and modernized. Today almost 50% of the world population lives in earth construction houses and buildings. Earth construction is sustainable. The ecological footprint is low because earth-houses are constructed involving local community (local work schemes). Earth construction can be found in several parts of the world. Including sophisticated communities such as ecovillages.
In many times the earth construction techniques are linked to the concept of permaculture. There are several other techniques of earth construction that was born from the 'vernacular architecture in Africa.
The rammed earth walls have passive solar heat gain; passive cooling; indoor thermal comfort; and uses natural and reclaimed materials.

ECAR - arsenic-safe...

ECAR - arsenic-safe drinking water

Categories:
Water & Waste Water

Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab - USA

Website: gadgillab.berkeley.edu

Contact: Ashok Gadgil

Email: gadgil@ce.berkeley.edu

Used by: India

Solution:
ECAR is a highly effective ultra low-cost water treatment technology designed to bring locally affordable and sustainable arsenic-safe water to rural communities. In ECAR, or ElectroChemical Arsenic Remediation, ordinary steel plates use low voltage electricity to produce iron oxide (e.g. rust) particles in water that adsorb and trap arsenic. During the process, arsenite (which is more toxic and difficult to remove) is converted into arsenate, allowing the process to be highly effective under robust conditions. Treated water exceeds international WHO standards for arsenic and iron across many groundwater sources. The electrodes are cleaned by reversing the current, making operation and maintenance simple and non-hazardous. The technology was designed to work within a sustainable service delivery model that can cover the cost of an electricity source and still sell arsenic-safe water at a locally affordable price while simultaneously covering all costs.
The requirements for maintenance are low and electrode passivation can be limited by reversing voltage regularly. Operating ECAR is simple and non-hazardous: voltage is very low (about 3 V DC) and no corrosive chemicals are needed. ECAR can be operated by trained local community members.
Operating costs are extremely low (~ 0.04 USD/l), making it possible to sell the arsenic-safe water at a locally affordable price while simultaneously covering the expenses.

Solution:
eCompliance has dramatically increased adherence among tuberculosis (TB) patients who have to take up to 75 doses under observation of a health worker, over 6 months.
eCompliance consists of a 7” Android tablet connected to a commercial finger print reader. The tablet has a SIM card, which communicates data to a server every 20 minutes, which then collates it in an Electronic Medical Record System (EMR).
Every patient is registered in the tablet with fingerprints. The entire treatment algorithm is built in the tablet. When a patient misses a scheduled meeting with the health worker, an alert is sent to everyone including the patient (with prior permission), health worker and supervisor. The worker has to phone or meet the patient within 48 hours, provide the dose, provide further counseling and convince the patient to re-join the therapy. This meeting is recorded with simultaneous fingerprints of the patient and worker. eCompliance also records worker attendance and eliminates absenteeism. It also records geo-locations of patients/ workers. EMR collates all data and generates all reports automatically. eCompliance can be applied to any disease that needs long term care.

Eliodomestico

Eliodomestico

Categories:
Water & Waste Water

Website: www.gabrielediamanti.com

Contact: Gabriele Diamanti

Email: info@gabrielediamanti.com

Used by: Italy (Prototype)

Solution:
Eliodomestico is an innovative solar distiller for households, designed to function without filters or electricity. The device is made from readily available materials, such as burnt clay and tin metal, and can be entirely produced by local craftsmen. The body is made of two earthenware parts. The evaporator (black boiler) and the condenser consist of tin-welded metal sheets. The freshwater bowl is made of clay. Its design takes into account the habit of transporting objects on the head. The choice of materials, shape and colors also relies on technical reasons, such as the thermal insulation, ventilation, heat resistance, absorption or exchange.
In the morning, the dirty or salty water is filled in a water tank, and in the evening, clean water can be collected. The water evaporates and re-condenses in a portable recipient placed underneath the tank. The prototype model which has a diameter of 60 cm and a surface area of 0.28 m², produces around 3 liters per day. This results in the production of around 10 liters per day per square meter of surface.

ENNOTA - Simple...

ENNOTA - Simple Financial Management for Micro and Small Business Owners in Developing Countries

Categories:
Information & Communication

Organization: Ennota

Website: https://ennota.com

Contact: Mohamed Hamada

Email: hamada@ennota.com

Used in: Egypt

Solution:
Educating and supporting people with financial literacy, ennota.com is a financial management application that empowers micro and small business owners in developing countries to grow. This is done by offering a simple solution with a tool providing a financial overview of a business as well as coaching modules. The product includes various levels of financial literacy and adapts to the user’s level. This integrated education in finance enables users to advance their knowledge and use the application fully.
The app is cloud-based, cross-platform, and accessible from any device connected to the internet.
It is designed to promote collaboration (with co-workers / partners or even an accountant), all the while using banking level standards to secure all transactions.

Solution:
The Enviro Loo is a "dry or waterless sanitation system". Liquid and solid waste is separated as it enters the container via the toilet bowl. Liquid waste drains to the bottom of the container while solid waste remains on the drying plate. The waste is exposed to continuous air flow that's driven through the unit by the forced aeration ventilation system. The movement of air is assisted by the ventilation extraction unit positioned on top of the outlet vent pipe. As the air moves through the system, it dehydrates the solid waste as it migrates down the sloped drying plate. The liquid that has drained to the bottom of the container evaporates. Sunlight absorbed by the black inspection cover increases the ambient temperature within the container. The intense heat, prolonged retention periods and oxygen-rich air that is drawn in, dehydrate and decompose the waste. At the end of this process the waste is converted; via the stimulated bacterial and biological activity; into an inoffensive, stabilized material which is reduced to roughly 5% of its original volume. The negative pressure within the container prevents the escape of any odour through the toilet bowl or the air inlet pipes.

Solution:
In hospitals, clinical waste is often disposed of in such a way that human health and the environment are endangered. This is why Technology without Borders (Technik ohne Grenzen – TeoG) helps. Together with the management of Ghanaian hospitals, TeoG develops and implements processes for the separation, recycling and disposal of waste. Incinerators are constructed on site to burn the biomedical waste appropriate. TeoG provides the know-how and helps with the money – the main responsibility of the project however lies with the management of the hospital. Two members of TeoG are present and train the partners in the operation of the incinerators and in the sustainable handling of waste. The contact is maintained to ensure long-term success.

Evaptainer

Evaptainer

Categories:
Food & Agriculture, Energy

Organization: Evaptainers

Website: http://www.evaptainers.com

Contact: Spencer Taylor

Email: spencer@e-tainers.com

Used in: Morocco

Solution:
Evaptainers are electricity-free mobile refrigeration units which run at low-cost. Utilizing the phenomenon of evaporative cooling, food is stored in a double-walled container where water evaporates through the porous outer wall, thereby cooling down the inner container. Compared to the rather more energy-intensive vapor compression refrigeration, they are ideal for use in off-grid rural areas with low relative humidity.

Solution:
EzyStove is a revolutionary, award winning wood-burning stove that is cheap, easy to produce and extremely fuel-efficient. Developed to address the needs of emerging market users, EzyStove replaces open fire cooking with a safe, healthy alternative. An EzyStove can reduce the amount of wood required to cook a meal from 40% to 60%, saving customer’s time, money and greatly reducing the environmental impact of cooking. EzyStove is also designed to be locally assembled without tools, creating jobs and reducing the cost of transportation into rural areas by factor 5.
The EzyStove consists of a fire chamber that is fitted into a metal pot support frame. The fire chamber and pot support frame are designed as a 2-part system with the fire chamber lasting 2-3 years and the pot support frame lasting up to 10 years. As the fire chamber begins to wear out, a replacement fire chamber can be purchased and fitted inside the frame by the customer within seconds, reducing the replacement cost of a new stove by 50% or more.
EzyStove decreases deforestation, improves the health of women and children, creates local jobs and drastically reduces carbon dioxide emissions.

Solution:
The Farmer’s Friend Biodigester is an underground construction where biogas is produced from decomposing animal manure under anaerobic conditions, which is then harnessed as a fuel for domestic gas stoves and lamps. Families don’t need to purchase or cut down wood for cooking in smoke-filled rooms anymore. Thanks to reduced burning of firewood, the improved manure management system and the utilization of biogas, greenhouse gas emissions fall annually by 5 t CO2 per biodigester. The effluent (digester slurry) is used as an effective organic fertilizer improving soil quality and production while reducing farmers’ expenditures. The farmer’s friend design is based on the ‘Deenbandhu’ model which is in use for over 20 now years in India. The majority of domestic biodigesters is promoted and constructed by private Biodigester Construction Companies (BCC) which were established and coached by joint NBP-SNV-PIN initiative and support. BCCs are small enterprises providing employment and qualification to over 800, predominantly young people living in the rural areas of Cambodia. According to the latest monitoring report, around 2,000 man-years of rural employment have been created between 2006-2013.

Solution:
FrontlineSMS is a desktop software created to lower barriers to positive social change using mobile technology. By leveraging basic tools already available to most organizations, including those in ‘last-mile’ settings — computers and low-cost modems — FrontlineSMS enables instantaneous two-way communication to any mobile handset. It’s easy to implement, simple to operate, and best of all, the software is free; you only pay for the messages you send. This award-winning open-source software has been downloaded over 150,000 times since its first prototype in 2005, and helps organizations all over the world overcome communications barriers.
FrontlineCloud lets you easily send, receive, and manage SMS messages and data from anywhere in the world. FrontlineCloud makes life easier with a quick set-up process, more ways to connect to mobile networks, and all of the sophisticated data management available through the cloud. It brings the convenience of the web to your text message communications, all for a low monthly rate.

Garbage Clinical...

Garbage Clinical Insurance

Categories:
Healthcare, Waste Management

Organization: Indonesia Medika

Contact: Dr Gamal Albinsaid

Email: gamal.albinsaid@gmail.com

Used in: Indonesia

Solution:
Garbage Clinical Insurance (GCI) is a micro health insurance program which uses recyclable waste as a financial resource. With this program, the community is able to pay for clinical services by using garbage as payment to an insurance scheme. The project predominantly targets waste collectors and encourages the community to mobilize their own unused resources to improve their access to health services. It further breaks down barriers between health facilities and community members.

GiftedMom - Ending...

GiftedMom - Ending Maternal Deaths Using Mobile Technology.

Categories:
Education, Information & Communication, Healthcare

Organization: GiftedMom

Website: www.giftedmom.org

Contact: Alain Nteff

Email: founders@giftedmom.org

Used in: Cameroon, Nigeria

Solution:
GiftedMom is a social enterprise aiming to improve maternal health using last mile mobile technologies. Combining SMS and voice reminders with a GPS-integrated tricycle transportation, the project aims to end preventable maternal and infant deaths.
Using a customized SMS notification and voice education platform, the solution leverages on the high amount of mobile devices in Africa and provides antenatal care and vaccination reminders to pregnant women and new
mothers respectively.

GravityLight

GravityLight

Categories:
Energy

Organization: The GravityLight Foundation

Website: http://gravitylight.org

Contact: Caroline Angus

Email: caroline@gravitylight.org

Used in: Kenya

Solution:
GravityLight is an innovative device that provides instant light, as well as powering a string of up to 4 ancillary ‘SatLights’ that can be distributed around the home. Simultaneously able to power a radio, it does not need batteries or sunlight, as it is powered by the lifting of weights. This provides a clean, safe and affordable alternative to kerosene lamps which is universal and can be used all year round.

GRIS water saving...

GRIS water saving system: A simple tool to capture and recycle all the water you use during a shower

Categories:
Water & Waste Water

Organization: IgenDesign Hungary & Brazil

Website: http://igendesign.co

Contact: Alberto Vasquez

Email: alberto@igendesign.co

Used in: Brazil

Solution:
GRIS is a set of water-containers that are to be laid on the bathroom floor under the shower. They then capture water from the showerhead, a person’s body and from the wall whilst a shower is being taken. The collected water can be stored in these containers for a while and/or immediately be reused for other purposes including toilet-flushing, cleaning, washing or watering the garden, for example. GRIS can collect up to 95% of the shower water.

Groasis Technology

Groasis Technology

Categories:
Food & Agriculture, Water & Waste Water

Organization: ICU/Desert Tulip/Groasis

Website: http://www.groasis.com/en

Contact: Larissa Setaro

Email: larissa.setaro@icu.it

Used in: globally

Solution:
Groasis Technology (GT) is an integrated planting technology that allows the planting of trees in degraded farmland and rangelands. The technology consists of a 20-litre box which, when planted around a seedling, collects dew and enough rainwater to sustain the plant whilst it grows.

Solution:
The Hippo Water Roller aims to alleviate the daily struggle of women and children by helping them to easily transport more water at a time from water points located far from their homes.
The Hippo Water Roller is the most efficient and appropriate technology to achieve this purpose and is well established in those communities which have been lucky enough to benefit from this project.
Instead of being carried in a 20 l bucket on the head, the weight of the water remains on the ground in a drum. A steel clip-on handle allows the women and children to roll the drum by either pushing or pulling it, depending on gradients.
Compared to a bucket, the Hippo Water Roller allows 5x more water to be carried home. As an additional benefit, it saves time and while women can use it for other household tasks, children can attend school more often, resulting in better education.
Basic hygiene and health can be significantly improved and long-term injuries from carrying heavy weights are prevented.
The durable design ensures a lifespan of 5 to 7 years and often even longer, depending on prevailing conditions. The maintenance-free design - no consumable parts - ensures sustainability and long-term success in remote locations. "A smarter way to collect water."

IBEKA

IBEKA

Categories:
Energy, Water & Waste Water, Integral Solutions

Organization: IBEKA

Contact: Tri Mumpuni

Website: http://ibeka.netsains.net/

Operating in: Indonesia, the Philippines and Rwanda

Solution:
IBEKA is aiming to establish pro poor public private partnerships for infrastructures in remote areas. In this context, it builds up electricity for Indonesia, the Asian Pacific and Africa. After having built up the electricity, IBEKA usually can develop the economic potential in the local communities.

Iketsetse Single...

Iketsetse Single Stroke Maize Sheller

Categories:
Food & Agriculture

Organization: Iketsetse Micro Enterprise Development Company

Website: http://ellardterry.wix.com/iketsetse

Contact: Terence Ellard

E-Mail: ellardterry@gmail.com

Solution:
The Iketsetse single stroke maize sheller makes an otherwise very labor intensive job easy. It saves hours of strenuous monotonous hand labor now done mostly by women and children, freeing up time for other important work. The traditional method in Lesotho and other countries is to separate the kernels from the cob with the bare hands or another cob or a stone. The single stroke sheller is at least sixteen times faster than this method and 6 times faster than crank type shellers. It can be easily manufactured by skilled local metalworkers and adapted for production with other available materials. It consists of a leveraged plunger that simply pushes the ear of maize through a ring of spring teeth arranged so as to remove all the kernels from the cob with one motion.

InSight - Mobile...

InSight - Mobile Personal Finance Tool

Categories:
Information & Communication

Organization: Tala

Website: http://tala.co/

Contact: Shivani Siroya

Email: info@tala.co

Used by: Kenya, India, South Africa

Solution:
InSight is a simple mobile money management tool that enables individuals and micro-businesses to perform daily accounting and cash management on their cell phones. Available on SMS, voice, web, and Android platforms in eight different languages, InSight allows users to track their finances and learn budgeting and savings in context, helping to teach financial literacy while also encouraging responsible spending and savings habits.
InSight’s real-time cash flow data is then captured in the InVenture information database and aggregated with 36 different demographic, behavioral, and transactional variables in InVenture’s dynamic credit-scoring algorithm to generate actionable risk assessments, quantifying each user’s ability to successfully repay a loan. This information is then shared with lenders to help individuals qualify for affordable financial services and credit products.
InSight leverages mobile technology and data analytics to help individuals build financial identities and access to the formal economy, while also helping financial institutions mitigate credit risk and grow their portfolios safely and sustainably.

Invi - self defence...

Invi - self defence bracelet

Categories:
Healthcare

Organization: Invi

Website: http://invi.world/

Contact: Carlijn Bettink

Email: hello@invi.world

Used in: Netherlands, globally (planned)

Solution:
In response to the widespread problem of sexual violence, the company has developed a self-defense product that enables women to protect themselves. The “Pearltect” is a bracelet worn as jewellery. This bracelet however contains a breakable capsule (the pearl) filled with an (unpleasant) odoriferous substance to repel, and DNA dye to mark, the attacker.

io™ solar power...

io™ solar power system

Categories:
Energy

Organization: Shamba Technologies

Website: www.iosolar.com

Contact: Edward Matos

Email: edward@iosolar.com

Used in: Tanzania

Solution:
The io™ system provides a new way to make solar power more affordable for rural, off-grid households in Sub-Saharan Africa. Users start by making a very small investment in a basic io™ solar power module, and can then scale-up the size of their system adding power and functionality at their own pace. This allows customers to own a power system that fits their individual needs without the burden of a large up-front investment.
Each io™ module is a fully-functioning mini solar power system in its own right. However once several are daisy-chained together, they synergise to create a full-size system able to power much larger appliances such as bright security lights, radios, loudspeaker systems, and eventually fridges and TVs.

Solution:
ISSB Granary is an alternative and more viable solution for food security especially for peasant farmers who cannot afford the minimum tonnage to put into silos. Additionally it is a commercial tool for farmers to store and sell their crop (e.g. maize) when the price is highest. This is usually 2-3 months after the harvest season during which the sales price is usually the lowest. In comparison to the traditional granaries, the construction of the ISSB Granary requires minimum skills and uses only environmentally friendly technologies (Interlocking Stabilised Soil Blocks or ISSB).

Jompy Water Boiler

Jompy Water Boiler

Categories:
Energy, Water & Waste Water

Organization: Celsius Global Solutions - UK

Website: www.jompy.co.uk

Contact: David Osborne

Email: info@jompy.co.uk

Used by: India, Kenya, Uganda

Solution:
The Jompy Water Boiler is a lightweight and inexpensive fire top device which sits between cooking pots on an open flame. It enables households to cook a meal while at the same time heating water to temperatures high enough to kill 98% of waterborne bacteria (according to entrants), thereby making it safe to drink or use the water for cooking or bathing. Gravity pushes the water through the Jompy Water Boiler, which then delivers near boiling hot water within seconds and at a rate of one litre per minute. It works equally efficient on stoves or simple three stone fires, making it suitable for the use in both rural areas, as well as, urban dwellings. Through a more efficient use of the cooking fire, the Jompy Water Boiler also dramatically reduces fuel costs for poor families.

Leveraged Freedom...

Leveraged Freedom Chair

Categories:
Healthcare

Organization: GRIT - USA

Website: www.goGRIT.org

Contact: Tish Scolnik

Email: tish@gogrit.us

Used by: Guatemala, Haiti, India, Kenya, Philippines, Vietnam, Uganda

Solution:
The Leveraged Freedom Chair (LFC) was designed by the development team at MIT to help people with physical disabilities in developing countries and has been in operation since 2008. It has been tested in East Africa, Central America and India. The LFC uses a unique lever drivetrain which makes it faster than conventional wheelchairs and enables it to travel over extremely rough terrain. Instead of using gears and derailleurs which are likely to break under the rough conditions in developing countries, the user can change gears and achieves a 3:1 change in mechanical advantage by simply moving his hands up and down a set of levers that are connected to the drivetrain. Grabbing high on the levers provides more torque to get over obstacles, while grabbing low on the levers increases angular velocity for fast travel on smooth ground. By using common bicycle parts in the production of the LFC, the costs are kept low and users, even in rural villages, can easily repair and maintain the product themselves.

Library for All

Library for All

Categories:
Education

Organization: Library for All

Website: http://www.libraryforall.org

Contact: Isabel Sheinman

Email: isabel@libraryforall.org

Used in: Mongolia, Haiti, Rwanda, DRC and Cambodia

Solution:
Library For All (LFA) aims at unlocking knowledge and opportunities for children in developing countries. With limited access to educational materials, these children are given access to a cloud-based library of e-books. In areas where books are scarce but mobile networks are growing, the digital library serves the critical need for quality educational materials. The Library is filled with primary and secondary education content that is culturally relevant and available in local and international languages.

LifeShift Sterilizer

LifeShift Sterilizer

Categories:
Healthcare

Organization: RSO Shift

Website: www.rso-shift.com/en

Contact: Raphael Schönweitz

Email: info@rso-shift.com

Solution:
With our specially adapted medical rucksack we offer to doctors in developing countries a completely new type of device, which will - by the mere use of solar energy - clean, disinfect and sterilize contaminated surgical instruments. Because of its integrated water treatment plant our new device produces the necessarily clean water even from contaminated water of rivers or the sea. Due to the use of solar energy the device is completely self-sufficient and independent of any supply of electricity or gas. In case of fluctuating sunshine a new type of storage technology enables the safe use of solar energy in medical technology. The device is consistent with CE regulations. Furthermore, it is extremely robust and can easily be operated. It is aimed for the use in rural developing areas, for example by African doctors and their assistants. As the device is integrated into a rucksack it can easily be carried to any remote region. The technical feasibility is proved by the University of Cassel. A functional prototype will be developed by the end of 2014. A technical prototype will be constructed one year later. By the middle of 2016 the device should be on the market.

Solution:
Liter of Light aims to provide an ecologically and economically sustainable source of light to underprivileged communities around the world. This source of light is based on a solar bottle, easy to install and requires only simple technology and accessible materials. In detail: You take a plastic bottle, fill it with water and some chlorine to keep the water clean, and then make a hole in the roof of the household & install the bottle - half outside half inside. The daylight that enters from above gets diffracted by the water and spreads the light into the room. During the day, it substitutes a 55 watt light bulb completely. Our solution also works when the sky is clouded. There is still enough light getting inside the bottle, but of course the bottle will shine less brightly.
The impact of installing these solar bulbs goes beyond providing light. It will lead to a better quality of life for the families, create new working opportunities and will reduce the carbon dioxide footprint.

Lotus Water

Lotus Water

Categories:
Water & Waste Water

Organization: Stanford University

Website: http://www.lotuswater.org/

Contact: Amy Pickering

Email: amyjanel@stanford.edu

Used by: Bangladesh

Solution:
Researchers with the Stanford Program on Water, Health, and Development have designed a community-scale, fully automated chlorine dosing device for low-income urban communities lacking reliable electricity and 24/7 supply. This technology was conceived as part of a new paradigm suggesting that water treatment is most effective when it is implemented prior to the point-of-collection, with no behavior change required by the end-user. The device works by using a vacuum suction created by water flowing through a pipe, and does not require electricity. The device offers reliable chlorine dosing while remaining low-cost; it can be easily integrated into existing handpumps, and is designed to dose water accurately even under variable and intermittent flow. Our product is specifically designed to be a practical and affordable option for high quality water in low-income urban communities, where typically low-turbidity piped municipal supplies are contaminated and there are limited other options for safe water.

MakaPads Sanitary...

MakaPads Sanitary Pads

Categories:
Healthcare

Organization: Technology for Tomorrow Limited - Uganda

Website: www.t4tafrica.co

Contact: Moses Musaazi

Email: info@t4tafrica.co

Used by: Sierra Leone, Uganda

Solution:
MakaPads are sanitary pads made from papyrus and paper waste. The naturally absorbent material has a high capacity (one pad can be used for 8 to 10 hours). Contrary to most other sanitary pads on the market, there is no additional absorption enhancement required. They are assembled with a moisture barrier and mesh covering and can be purchased with or without an adhesive.
The dried and pulverised papyrus fibres are processed into a thick paste with paper and water. This is dried in the sun, smoothed, pressed and cut to size into absorbent inserts with mechanically operated machines. The pads are sealed in packs of three and then exposed to ultra violet light to kill off all bacteria or germs. Because the sanitary napkins are made of natural material and do not contain any chemical additives, they are almost 100% biodegradable and do not cause any intolerances. The mostly manual production process needs very little electrical energy and can be generated via solar panels of total 350 W. Subsequently, Makapads are produced with minimum carbon footprint.

Mapeo de Napas con...

Mapeo de Napas con Georadar – Soil Research

Categories:
Food & Agriculture, Water & Waste Water

Organization: Estudio G&D - Argentina

Website: www.estudiogyd.com.ar

Contact: Mariano Delbuono

Email: mdelbuono@estudiogyd.com.ar

Used by: Argentina

Solution:
Georadar technology can be used to map and to determine the depth of water tables. Even without rain water, water can be provided for crops, if the roots come into contact with the water table zone. Georadar (GPR, Ground Penetrating Radar) is used as a non-destructive technique for low-depth subsoil investigation, which produces excellent results in terms of soil profile mapping. It consists of an electromagnetic waves unit and a second digital recording system unit. Wave reflection time delays and wave speed in the material containing the antennae, are used to deduce the depth at which the reflector unit (pipe) is located. The georadar generates a subsoil image with high lateral and vertical resolution which not only identifies specific objects, but also characterizes the area.
The depth of penetration and the resolution depend on which type of antenna is used. In high-resolution urban areas shielded antennas are used, because they are better equipped to control noise and air reflections with high-quality imaging and a depth range of up to 10 m.
Estudio G&D uses existing technology in a new context. The innovation is the compact, small-scale technology, which makes it easy to transport. Thus big areas can be analyzed without costly and labor-intensive drillings. Deeper soil and ground water levels can also be detected.

Solution:
The MAPS G110 is a utility vehicle designed to meet the needs of farmers and agriculture businesses in developing countries. These people traditionally spend a substantial amount of time and effort with transportation and manual labor. This farming helper is more affordable than a car, can carry more people than a motorcycle, and unlike Chinese trike competitors, offers a durable chassis with options for utility attachments.

Mellowcabs

Mellowcabs

Categories:
Energy

Organization: Mellowcabs

Website: www.mellowcabs.com

Contact: Neil du Preez

Email: neil@mellowcabs.com

Used in: South Africa

Solution:
Mellowcabs manufactures and operates three-wheeled, electric mini-cabs to provide low cost, eco-friendly and convenient urban taxi and transport services. A mobile app connects the commuters and cabs and payment can be made by cash or card via the app. The passenger section of the cab can be replaced with a cargo section while the body of the taxi is used as advertising space in order to finance the concept. Mellowcab aims to replace short distance transport services through an eco-friendly carbon emission free alternative.

Mobile Solar Kiosk

Mobile Solar Kiosk

Categories:
Energy

Organization: African Renewable Energy Distributor (ARED) - Rwanda

Website: www.a-r-e-d.com

Contact: Henri Nyakarundi

Email: info@a-r-e-d.com

Used by: Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda

Solution:
The Mobile Solar Cell Phone Charger (MSCC) is a mobile charging point, which can be attached to bicycles and mopeds. It offers a micro solution to quickly charge cell phones for people on the go, using renewable energy technology. The Quick Charge has two retractable solar panels with 40 watts each at the top, a lock system to keep the cell phone system and the solar panels secured at night, as well as, a lithium battery to store electricity for night charging. A manual charging mechanism can be used when the device is on a stationary position and in the case of bad weather. Since the whole system is on wheels, MSCC can go where the customers are or where they gather, such as at market places, churches or bus stops. The whole unit is fitted onto a plastic body, which can also offer space for advertisement. The product is only a prototype at this stage.

Solution:
The material used is renewable and has been tested for sufficient strength as required by professional calculations. The technology uses timber framing and mulberry branches as the structural reinforcing elements on the walls. The technology has been based on the native Mulberry tree which is widely spread in Tajikistan and many other countries. Scientific research, certified by Tajikistan’s Institute of Seismology has shown that Mulberry twigs can withstand earthquakes up to a magnitude of 8-9 on the Richter scale.
Mulberry twigs can be harvested easily, coupled into grids and attached to internal mud walls using a plaster mixed with straw and wool. As a result, this seismically stabilizes the walls and thus provides much needed structural protection for the inhabitants. The technology can be implanted into the construction of new homes or added to existing homes, even to those already having suffered from earthquake damage.

Multi-Crop Thresher

Multi-Crop Thresher

Categories:
Food & Agriculture

Website: https://www.imaratech.co/

Contact: Elliot Avila

Email: elliot@imaratech.co

Used in: Tanzania

Solution:
The Multi-Crop Thresher (MCT) is an agricultural product that can thresh various types of crops in just one machine. These crops include maize, sorghum, barley, and rice. The Thresher aims to improve quality of life, strengthen value chains, and contribute to food security. This is done by producing a cleaner agricultural product that can be used more efficiently reducing the amount of hard labor.

Solution:
Nazava Water Filters provides the safest and best affordable household water treatment for those 150 million Indonesians that cannot afford to buy bottled water.
Nazava’s main filter model is a table top which has an upper container to collect the dirty water and a lower container with a tap for the drinking water. The containers are made of food-grade polypropylene (PP5). The containers are equipped with a high quality ceramic filter candle, which is 10 cm in height and 5.5 cm in width, which makes it easy to transport and replace.
The filter candle is made of ceramic, activated carbon and anti-microbial silver which removes 99.99% of all bacteria and produces water that complies with national standards. It filters up to 7000 liters and about 2-3 liters per hour.
The retail price is lower than 24 USD (the replacement filter costs 9.80USD) and
enables households to filter, tap or rain water at 1/3 the costs of boiling water and 1/9 the costs of buying water
Nazava focuses on the marketing and distribution of Indonesia’s safest and most affordable household water filters. Through a widespread sales network of micro entrepreneurs we ensure the poor rural and urban households of Indonesia have access to safe drinking water. The 330 local resellers guarantee a constant supply of the replacement filters and increase their own income as well.

Solution:
Roadside Wellness Centre's (RWC's) are converted shipping containers that have been refurbished as fit for purpose health clinics. Based on a mapping exercise and site assessments in consultation with government and other partners, these clinics are placed at hotspots such as border posts or transit towns where large numbers of truckers stop and where informal trade and sex worker activity flourishes. These clinics are open after hours to allow these communities to access services. The services offered include HIV Counseling and Testing, STI diagnosis and treatments, Primary Health Care, Behaviour Change Communication, Condom Distribution and screening for TB and Malaria. The services are offered free of charge.

Solution:
The OneDollarGlasses are manufactured on bending and milling machines specially designed for this purpose. The spectacle frames consist of a lightweight and flexible frame made of extremely robust, rustproof and hypoallergenic spring steel wire (1 mm). The frames are manufactured by hand on a bending device which does not need a power supply. Different physiognomies can be taken into account individually when bending the frame. The elliptical polished, unbreakable lenses are given the notches and steps for fastening in the spectacle frames on the milling attachment and can be inserted in no time. This milling machine can be operated via a decentralized power supply thanks to the low power consumption (generator or solar station). Heat-shrinkable sleeves made of hypoallergenic plastic on the ear piece ends increase the wearing comfort of the glasses. Because the glasses have very little weight, they do not require nosebridges. Two coloured glass pearls give each pair of glasses its own personal design.
The total material costs for a pair of glasses amount to approx. 0.80 US dollar. The production process of a standard pair of glasses takes about 15 minutes (including the machining of the lenses).

Onelamp

Onelamp

Categories:
Energy

Organization: Onelamp

Website: http://www.onelamp.ug/

Contact: Derrick Hosea Opio

Email: info@onelamp.ug

Operating in: Uganda

Solution:
OneLamp provides a lastmile same day on-demand delivery service for clean energy at the bottom of the pyramid. We enable households order solar lights by SMS, pay with mobile money and enjoy door to door delivery using an existing transport infrastructure.

OpenIR –...

OpenIR – Democratizing Infrared Satellite Data

Categories:
Information & Communication

Organization: The DuKode Studio - USA

Website: www.openir.media.mit.edu

Contact: Arlene Ducao

Email: arlduc@dukode.com

Used: worldwide

Solution:
OpenIR is an ICT (information communication technology) that maps the environmental risks and features, which are revealed by infrared satellite data. This includes algorithms for flood risk map generations and a web map application. OpenIR’s initial validation case will take place in Indonesia. At the same time, OpenIR collaborates with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to determine additional validation and use case scenarios. OpenIR also works towards interfacing flood risk maps with crowd maps and allow global access to this data.
OpenIR’s initial component is a geo-server system that serves visible and infrared spectrum data into web map layers. Currently, the team runs tests on processing and serving data in-house and/or using data from Google’s Earth Engine that will soon be available.
The team created a prototype of a Risk Map Builder, which automatically generates a flood risk map for any given area. The goal is to expand the resolution based on additional inputs. OpenIR exists as a prototype that is currently undergoing user testing and data validation.

Solution:
Peepoo is a personal, single-use toilet which sanitizes human excreta shortly after defecation, thereby preventing faeces from contaminating and spreading lethal diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea. After use, urea inside Peepoo inactivates harmful pathogens in the faeces within 2-4 weeks. It is designed in the form of a slim elongated outer bag with a wider inner funnel that expands the opening while using it. After use, Peepoo is sealed with a knot that makes it completely airtight. It works as a micro-treatment plant: With the help of the enzyme urease present in the human faeces, the urea in Peepoo breaks down to carbon dioxide and ammonia. Each Peepoo can contain up to 800 ml of faeces and urine. To facilitate usage, Peepoo can be fitted on any standard 1-3 liter container/bucket or the specially designed Peepoo seat/holder for sitting or squatting, called Peepoo Kiti. Peepoo remains odor-free for at least 12 hours after use and can be stored in the immediate environment.

Solution:
Pocket FM is a broadcasting system, which serves as an interface between internet and radio. The device has been adapted to situations and regions where communication is difficult, especially for those cut off from vital information including refugee camps and areas with civil wars. The portable transmitter airs radio programs over a radius of about eight kilometers and can be remote-controlled by SMS or the internet. Powered by a small solar panel, the solution requires almost no maintenance and can run practically without interruption.

Portable Household...

Portable Household Toilets for Informal Settlements

Categories:
Water & Waste Water, Waste Management

Organization: re.source Sanitation

Website: http://www.resourcesanitation.com

Contact: Kory Russel

Email: info@resourcesanitation.com

Used by: Haiti

Solution:
The toilet is a compact, waterless toilet built around sealable containers that enable easy and hygienic removal of the waste. The feces are captured in a 20 l container, the urine is either stored in a bottle or piped into a small soak-pit. Feces are covered with dry material (in Haiti, a mixture of crushed peanut shells and sugar-cane bagasse) after each use. The whole unit is self-contained for easy movement or transport, and for stability on the often uneven floors of homes in informal settlements. The toilet is designed to cater to the aspirations of the customers, which is for a modern, hygienic, and pleasant experience. The toilets were designed in conjunction with an innovative service where full containers are sealed, removed, and replaced with clean ones by uniformed, professional staff. The waste containers are transported to a waste-processing site for conversion into safe, valuable fertilizer. The combination of the toilet with low monthly subscriptions for waste collection provides flexibility that is critical for many residents of urban slums. This was a collaborative effort between re.source (www.resourcesanitation.com) and SOIL (www.oursoil.org).

Pumpmakers DIY Solar...

Pumpmakers DIY Solar Pump

Categories:
Energy, Water & Waste Water

Organization: PM Pumpmakers GmbH

Website: http://www.pumpmakers.com

Contact: Dietmar Stuck

Email: office@pumpmakers.com

Used by: Mozambique

Solution:
The NSP Solar Pump System is a maintenance free, solar energy operated water pump system that can be used for drinking water supply as well as irrigation. In developing regions 90% of used pumping systems are hand pumps which require high maintenance. Existing wells can be equipped with the NSP Solar pump trough a Do-it-yourself system and provide water to up to 1000 people daily. Currently the pumping system is still produced in Austria, but it is intended to shift the production close to the demanding markets.
“In the Maasai region I saw people walk over 30 miles a day searching for scarce amounts of water for their families. I saw broken hand pumps because of lack of maintenance. I saw fuel driven water pumps not working because of the lack of money to run them. Existing water wells were outdated and needed to be improved. This brought me to the idea of building a solar-powered water pump that avoids these disadvantages and can be manufactured locally. Water is our most precious resource. Water is life.” Dietmar Stuck, CEO & Founder

Quintas Biomass fired...

Quintas Biomass fired Hot Air Dryer/Dehydrator

Categories:
Energy

Organization: Quintas Renewable Energy Solutions Ltd.

Website: www.quintasenergies.com.ng/

Contact: Omotayo Dairo

Email: tayo.dairo@quintasenergies.com

Used in: Nigeria

Solution:
The Quintas biomass hot air dryers/dehydrators are designed to dry agricultural produce when harvested.
This simple device does without complicated temperature and flow controls and can be assembled on site with the capacity to burn approx. 7.06 kg biomass per hour. The dried goods can then be packaged for sale.

Solution:
ReMotion Knee is an affordable, polycentric prosthetic knee designed for amputees in developing countries. Using durable, polymer-based materials with proven polycentric mechanism, instead of the typical steel or titanium, the ReMotion Knee is designed to improve usability and manufacturability. It has simple, universal attachments to interface with standard prosthetic leg systems, is made up of five components and four standard fasteners and weighs less than 0.5 kg – one of the lightest knees on the market. The knee’s 165-degree range of motion makes movements possible that are relevant to local cultures. Its lifespan has shown to exceed 3-5 years (3 million gait cycles), which is consistent with the benchmark set by prosthetics available on Western markets.
The solution also addresses sensitive user issues, such as smooth and quiet operation, critical quality and bandwidth problems with local manufacturing through injection molding for mass production.

River Ice - Cooling...

River Ice - Cooling System

Categories:
Energy, Water & Waste Water

Organization: APROTEC - Colombia

Website: www.aprotec.com.co

Contact: Mauricio Gnecco

Email: mjgnecco@aprotec.com.co

Used by: Colombia

Solution:
River Ice is a small-scale Garman river turbine directly connected to an open refrigeration compressor. Polyethylene bags which contain filtered water produce ice blocks through the energy of the current. Garman river turbines (or the very similar Tyson- and VHL-turbines) are well known technologies. Their typical power output is 300 – 500 W and they are mainly used for house lightning, cellphone recharging, etc. In contrast to the conventional turbines, the River Ice turbine is connected directly to a mechanical compressor, which cools down through polyethylene bags containing water, thus producing ice blocks.
For this system to work, a river must have a minimum depth of 1.7m and a flow rate of at least 0.6 m/sec. If the energy flow of a river surpasses 12 kWh/day, it is sufficient to produce more than 250 kg/24 h of ice in tropical areas with temperatures of 30ºC or higher. According to Aprotec, the River Ice plant allows a direct cost saving of about 66%, compared to usual ice production methods.

ROTOR – Swimming...

ROTOR – Swimming Power Plant

Categories:
Energy, Water & Waste Water

Organization: mobile hydro

Website: http://www.mobilehydro.com

Contact: Markus Heinsdorff

Email: info@mobilehydro.com

Used by: Germany (Prototype)

Solution:
Rotor is a small, hydro power plant, which provides an easy way to generate electricity by using the current of a river. A vertical axis water wheel is mounted in the center of a circular tube. Induced by the flow of a river, the wheel turns like a turbine. The rotational energy is transferred by the axis to a wheel where several conventional bicycle dynamos - in the advanced version a specially designed generator - transform the kinetic energy into electricity. The rotor is fixed to the embankment, a bridge or something similar by mooring ropes. The prototype rotor consists of a tractor tire tube, flat bar steel as frame construction, bicycle dynamos and blades made of sheet. All of the used materials are substitutable and are therefore available worldwide for little money. A flow speed of 1.5m/s can provide an output of up to 150W.
An online-Do-It-Yourself manual will be created, which offers a variety of possible materials to be used. Moreover, an affordable pre-fabricated construction kit which includes the important parts, i.e. tire tube, blade profiles, canvas cover and a specific generator is being developed. The objective is to provide a stable power output of approximately 100W.

Safe Travel

Safe Travel

Categories:
Information & Communication

Organization: Traveler

Contact: Achiri Nji

Email: arnoldcolf@yahoo.com

Used in: Cameroon

Solution:
Developed by innovators in Cameroon, Safe Travel is a free phone app which works as a monitoring system called ‘traveler’. It is designed for passengers and users offering a platform and data system showing a traveler’s location. This is used to notify families and road safety or emergency teams if a traffic incident occurs as it offers the possibility to also check reckless driving it can subsequently reduce the number of death on highways.

Solution:
The Safe Water Enterprise (SWE) is a sustainable solution to supply rural and peri-urban communities with safe drinking water. The concept combines a low-cost and low-maintenance membrane-based water treatment technology with an entrepreneurial approach for the sustainable management of the utility.

Solution:
The Score Stove™2 is a low-smoke cook stove with high combustion efficiency. When cooking with wood fuel or other fuels such as dung or crop residuals, it produces additional electrical energy through the combustion heat. Using the electro-acoustic effect with the help of an innovative device, powerful sound waves are produced in combination with a linear electrical generator. The sound emmitted by the stove is no louder than a hum. The electricity produced by the Score Stove can be used to charge 12 V batteries or to provide main AC voltage. The stove is designed to be used in developing countries and can bring electricity to people in rural or remote areas. The Score Stove uses 30 to 50% less wood than the conventional 3 stone stove, thus, reducing deforestation. Working prototypes of Score Stove™2 exist in the UK, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Nepal. Trials have proven that the divice can produce enough electricity to light two LEDs whilst cooking a meal, eg. eggs and rice.

Solution:
The Seawater Greenhouse creates a new source of fresh water derived from seawater, and a climate that is suited for growing plants, both within and beyond the greenhouse structure. It enables the cultivation of crops in hot and arid regions of the world.
The process uses sunlight and seawater to enable the supply of food, energy and fresh water. The ventilation air, driven by the prevailing wind is cooled, cleaned, sterilized and humidified by seawater evaporators. This creates a climate that enables crops to grow in areas which normally do not provide the right conditions due to high temperatures, a lack of fresh water or both.
Only pure water evaporates, and the seawater is reduced to concentrated brine, which is further evaporated outside the greenhouse to yield salt and other minerals.
Evaporating seawater and cooling the air in the process is much simpler and cheaper than desalination. At the same time the outcome is the same if not greater, as the volume of water lost through plant transpiration is reduced by 10-fold or more. Plants that are not stressed by excessive transpiration grow faster and produce higher yields.

Solution:
Out of the some 4 million hand dug wells in Africa an estimated 50 % is dry at the end of the dry season. One reason is the lack of rainwater infiltration around the well because of compacted soils, erosion or shorter but heavy rains as a result of climate change. Options to increase the infiltration of rainwater are: small dams, cultivation on contour or planting of plants like vertiver. Another and new option is the so called Tube recharge. This option functions in areas with compact soils where rain flows away to rivers. The technology is based on Indian recharge technologies but simpler and cheaper. After a training, families themselves can apply it and increase water volumes in their well. The cost of materials for a Tube recharge is less than 10 USD and the volumes that can be recharged can be 100 to 500 cubic meters per rain season. A wide scale application of this technology could increase access of water for millions of people.

Solution:
With the fast population growth the goal "Water and food for all" requires new approaches. For communal rural water supply machine drilled boreholes and imported handpumps are now used and cost 5,000-10,000 USD for 250 people. In 50% of the cases manual drilling seems possible and if well done, has the same quality as machine drilled wells but costs much less. SHIPO Tube Well Drilling is a manual drilling technique combining percussion, sludging and jetting. With this method about 300 wells to 45 meters deep have been made and are often combined with locally produced Rope pumps. A water point with this combination costs 1,000 to 1,500 USD is for 150 people, which is 70% less expensive than similar water points made with other technologies. Drilling of tube wells is safer than hand digging and can go deeper so there is water all year round. This technology is fit for communal wells or for self-supply wells at the family level. A wide scale application of this technology and manual well drilling in general will have huge positive impact on access to water, reducing poverty and increasing food security.

SimGas GesiShamba...

SimGas GesiShamba rural biogas digester

Categories:
Energy, Waste Management

Organization: SimGas BV - Netherlands

Website: www.simgas.nl

Contact: Sanne Castro

Email: sannecastro@simgas.org

Used by: Kenya, Tanzania

Solution:
SimGas BV from the Netherlands has developed a system which circumvents the main problems arising for conventional biogas solutions. The GesiShamba (“Farm-Gas”) presents an affordable high-quality fixed dome biogas system designed for livestock holders in (sub-)tropical areas. It is mass-produced in recycled HDPE (high density polyethylen) which reduces material costs, while accelerating the transport and installation process. The biogas system uses manure and organic waste to produce gas for cooking and the effluent is used as a valuable fertilizer to nourish crops. The GesiShamba was constructed as an all-rounder, which means that it can also be used for co-digestion of (non-lignin) biodegradable materials, further improving the gas yield. The systems are economical, transportable, modular, expandable and easy to install – qualities which current biogas systems do not possess.

Solution:
The SMART turbine is developed to produce up to a maximum of 5000 watts electrical power from the kinetic energy of flowing waters. As the turbine is powered by kinetic energy and not with potential energy, it is also known as a “zero-head” or “in-stream” turbine. As such, no dams are necessary for the operation of this device. The course of a river remains unchanged and no large investments in infrastructure are required. The product operates on a low-cost per kilowatt basis making it not only ideal for industrialized countries, but for decentralized electrification in emerging countries.
To tackle specific problems of decentralized electrification the product comes with an intelligent electrical management system allowing a simple and efficient load management which is necessary for the implementation of micro grids.
In order to be operational a river or canal with 2 m depth, 3 m width and min 1,2 m/s velocity is needed. The System does not require technical operations or maintenance but only regular cleaning.

Solar lamp "A-Light S"

Solution:
The lamp is set up with the latest equipment developed and produced in Germany. With a very low consumption, high-performance LED optimized electronics and supply of a Li-Ion energy accumulator it creates a brightness not expected by a solar lamp. An efficient solar module can reload the lamp reliably. The lamp can be reloaded also with a net battery charger. It is furthermore possible to recharge many types of mobile phones with the help of the lamp or directly with the solar module. Using a suitable adapter cable, many other electronic devices can be operated, like transistor radios, or recharged like for example AA/AAA accumulators of cameras. The case is manufactured out of a very robust ABS plastic. It is extremely shockproof so that it can withstand repeated drops from 1.5 m onto a concrete floor without damage and it fulfills the IP67 standard. The white-transparent cap made out of PC was modified with a light-scattering color so that a very good illumination can be achieved with only one LED. A built-in hanger integrated at the bottom can convert a floor lamp into a hanging lamp in no time.

Solar Reflectors

Solar Reflectors

Categories:
Energy, Food & Agriculture

Organization: Trinysol - Mexico

Website: www.trinysol.com

Contact: Gregor Schäpers

Email: gregorio@trinysol.com

Used by: Mexico

Solution:
The solar reflectors can be used to bake, cook, or fry all kinds of food, as well as, to generate steam. They are based on the Scheffler type, as they are built of steel sections presenting 16 m² of highly reflective aluminum. Powered by a sensor-controlled motor, the reflector rotates, following the course of the sun and focusing its light on the one point throughout the year. This focus collects the sunlight and therefore reaches temperatures, which exceed 1000 °C. Depending on the seasons, the reflector is configured to the angle of the sun at two levers very simply by hand. The system is transportable.
The concentrated energy can be used for heating a plate of about 1 m² or an oven to 180-250 °C in about an hour. The temperature is kept constant by an integrated stone core. Further, it can be used to generate steam as an energy source, as several combined reflectors can vaporize water in an absorber that is connected to a pressure tank (to max 10 bars).

Solution:
The SOLARKIOSK is a solar-powered autonomous business hub. It utilizes solar power to provide rural off-grid communities with sustainable energy and energy-related products and services such as battery charging, communication, refrigeration, and an unprecedented access to technology and information. A SOLARKIOSK uses the energy it produces as a "mini smart grid". The structure is a modular and expandable kit-of-parts that can be easily transported and deployed in remote off-grid areas. Globally, 1.5 million people live without electricity access - 800 million of them are in Africa. Their annual energy expenditures amount to approx. 30 billion USD - about 120 USD per household. The majority of their energy is provided by unsustainable and dirty fuels despite abundant sunshine. The SOLARKIOSK addresses energy needs and spurs sustainable economic development of rural off-grid communities worldwide. SOLARKIOSK works at the bottom-of-the-pyramid and utilizes an inclusive business model. The franchise model enables a local kiosk owner to meet the needs and challenges of their rural off-grid community by enabling and empowering it.

SolarTurtle

SolarTurtle

Categories:
Energy

Organization: SolarTurtle

Website: www.solarturtle.co.za

Contact: James van der Walt

Email: james@ugesigold.co.za

Used in: South Africa

Solution:
The SolarTurtle is a community-owned solar kiosk designed for maximum security and maximum portability. The solar PV systems are housed in containers and assembled off site. The turn-key ready system can be deployed by simply offloading the container and unfolding the panels towards the sun. The solar kiosks sell electricity by the ‘bottle’. This means that a recycled plastic container is halved and battery inserted, the lid is then converted into a 12V cigarette lighter socket, allowing communities to build and maintain their own battery packs. Micro-grid connections are offered additionally to power local schools and businesses. Delivered by truck, this fold-away solar PV system provides basic electricity to 300 households and a local school and is stored safely preventing theft.

Solution:
SuMeWa¦SYSTEM (from Sun Meets Water) is a fully solar-PV-driven technical unit that is capable to pump, filtrate and disinfect water for safe drinking-water supply. The main feature is the electrolytic production of disinfectant, from the source water itself. No chemicals are added. The water quality is continuously monitored and automatically adapted to the required level.
Each SuMeWa¦SYSTEM produces enough drinking-water for up to 2,000 people from wells or other fresh water bodies with a depth of up to 70 meters. Operational costs are exceptionally low. Maintenance is conducted by locals, as only a toothbrush and some lime juice is necessary.

Solution:
The SuniCook is an improved sustainable model of parabolic cooker produced in Europe.
A shell-shaped (parabolic) surface composed of polished aluminum reflects the sunlight to a central point in the SolarCooker. In the middle is a metal baking tray (20 to 20 cm) with a black heat resistant coating where the dish comes. Precisely because the light comes in from four directions, the temperature in the heart of the solar oven rises quickly to 250°C. In the central cooking area it’s easy to cook, bake, steam and with plenty of sunshine, one can even grill. Since it is a deep parabolic cooker, there is no risk of blinding or burning, it is easy to assemble (roughly 20 minutes) and easy to handle with a total weight of less than 10 kg.
In order to work most efficiently an integrated indicator shows the user the optimal orientation of the cooker.

Solution:
The SunSaluter is a dual-incentive passive solar tracking and water filtration system, which optimizes existing solar infrastructure by collecting up to 40% more energy and simultaneously providing clean drinking water. Solar tracking is achieved through balancing the weight on both ends of the solar panel. Controlled water flow adapts the balance of the solar panel, which is secured on a bamboo frame with a rotatable axis, to the direction of the solar radiation. The system is suitable for areas with near zenith angles of the sun, such as tropical and subtropical regions. The SunSaluter does not require electricity and can be manufactured from local materials for less than 40 USD.
As an add-on to the system, a filter unit constructed from either silver-coated ceramic or biosand is placed below the water container. Both ceramic and biosand filters trap up to 99.9% of contaminants and microorganisms in the filter pore (according to entrants) . Filter units can be locally procured for less than 10 USD.

The Arivi Eva Stove

A low-pressure paraffin stove

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The Arivi Eva Stove

Categories:
Energy

Organization: Arivi (Pty.) Ltd

Website: http://www.arivi.co.za

Email: anya@arivi.co.za

Used by: South Africa

Solution:
The Arivi Stove is a wick-type domestic paraffin stove for low-income households. It is designed to be safe, clean and affordable to buy and to use. The Arivi Stove has a substantial maximum power output of 1.6kW with a burner efficiency of 85% and an overall cooking efficiency of 60%. The 2.5 liter fuel tank provides an long cooking time while carefully designed airflow over the tank keeps the fuel temperature safely at 37 degrees Celsius and most of the outside housing remains safe to touch. The Arivi Stove will not ignite or explode when knocked over. The flame self-extinguishes immediately when the stove is tilted.

Solution:
The desert greenhouse is great innovation to turn the waste sandy land into arable land to plant vegetables, fruits, increase the area of arable and output of agricultural products with high quality.
According to scientific inspection and verification, many desert areas possess good natural conditions which can be developed and utilized to build greenhouses. Due to the scarce rainfall, wheat, straw, twigs and other organic materials are valuable building materials in desert areas. Especially sand is an inexhaustible source for construction and cultivation substrate.
Using these cheap resources to construct greenhouses, planting can not only save costs for construction and operation, but also achieve organic cultivation. Thus, building greenhouses for vegetable production in the desert has very good social, economic and ecological benefits.
Few organic substances are required for the growth of crop on sandy land. Grooves of a certain size and depth are dug, which can hold tree bark, sawdust, poultry manure or oil cake mixed evenly with sandy soil. When fully fermented, this mixture creates a vegetative environment in which seedlings can be planted.
The temperature in the desert greenhouse is usually between 15 centigrade degrees and 25 centigrade degrees for most kinds of planted fruits and vegetables, while the humus balance is usually not less than 3%.

The Fish Farm

The Fish Farm

Categories:
Food & Agriculture

Organization: The Business Place - South Africa

Website: http://thefishfarm.net

Contact: Alan Fleming

Email: alan@thefishfarm.net

Used by: South Africa

Solution:
The Fish Farm is a patented, micro-intensive fish farm designed within the confines of a 12-metre shipping container, delivering 2–4 tons of tilapia (or other species) annually. By placing a series of tanks, filters and pumps inside a container, the product immediately delivers a profitable, affordable, transportable and replicable aquaculture business into poor urban or rural communities.The Prototype comprises 6 tanks (in a row) of 1,500 liters each, a 200 liters solids filter (to deal with the solid waste) and a 5,000 liters bio-filter (to deal with the chemical waste), a circulation pump and an aerator. The Fish Farm dumps 1% of its volume per day to maintain water quality. A fish farmer would be able to supply this fertilized water to the vegetable farmers. The required space for the Fish-Farm is minimal. The energy for its operation can be obtained by solar power. The Fish Farm is a simple and environmentally compatible way of ensuring food security, creating jobs and making profits.

Solution:
The Together Association developed a Simple Waste Water Treatment Technology for Egypt Villages that requires minimal land requirement and is harmonious with nature - in appearance and dynamics. The technology is proven and the cost of operations and maintenance is a lot lower than of a traditional technology. Pathogen can be removed well from die-off and natural biological processes. It is effective with a wide range of water plants and high levels of treatment are possible by increasing the planted area. The technology uses gravity feed to reduce the use of energy. All in all, low capital investment is needed (typically 5% of traditional technology).

Solution:
TriCiclos has proven in Chile that there is a great opportunity to formalize, train and allow street waste pickers to become social entrepreneurs that reduce waste, educate responsible consumers and finally become high level consultants for big corporations and governments.

TRIEX

TRIEX

Categories:
Waste Management, Integral Solutions

Organization: TRIEX

Website: http://www.triex.com.uy/

Contact: Ana Luisa Arocena

E-Mail: rmartinez@triex.com.uy

Operating in: Uruguay

Solution:
TRIEX is a b2b company devoted to special waste management in Uruguay. Founded in 2001, it transformed the sector by creating decent jobs while promoting transparency, technological innovation and environmental responsibility.
TRIEX has developed solutions and treated specific wastes in every stage of material’s life, from extraction waste to post-consumer residues including discarded raw materials, scrap, returned or out-of-specification products or packages.

Videobooks in Sign...

Videobooks in Sign Language

Categories:
Education

Organization: Canales Asociación Civil

Website: www.videolibros.org

Contact: Silvana Veinberg

Email: info@canales.org.ar

Used in: Argentina

Solution:
Enabling deaf children access to literature and reading, Canales has created “Videobooks in Argentine Sign Language.” These videos combine children’s books and young adult literature read in sign language, with voice-overs and animated illustration. This invites deaf children into the world of reading together with their families and friends. Many of these children never enjoy the pleasure of being read to as their families don’t know sign language: Videobooks also helps bridge the gap in literacy skills between deaf and hearing students.

Solution:
WADI is a solar-powered, IP65 conform produced, 100% maintenance-free, portable UV measurement device that uses simple progress bars and smiley faces to visualise the process of solar water disinfection (e.g. SODIS). It measures the UV-A and UV-B radiation of the sun and indicates the point of time at which at least a 3 log10 reduction of coliform bacteria has taken place. The visualization of the progress of the solar disinfection process on the one hand eliminates the user uncertainty on the e.g. SODIS requested timing of 6 hours (which in some areas is difficult to follow), on the other hand allows for two solar disinfection cycles per day under ideal geographical and weather conditions. In order to further improve the process of solar disinfection, WADI also allows for a simple and effective pre-filtering by use of locally available tools (e.g. cloth/cotton/napkin/pad) if water is turbid. Apart from this pre-filtering, WADI does not actively treat water.
WADI works energy self-sufficient and has a guaranteed life time of at least two years

Solution:
WAFFCO, Waste-Fuel Free Combustion, is a closed biomass burning stove for households. Simple and cheap to produce, it is constructed mainly of clay and metal and designed to replace open-fire stoves. It serves as a free cooking technology since it is fired with generated agriculture and domestic waste as well as packaging waste material.

Water Energy Hub (WE!Hub)

Solution:
The Water Energy Hubs (WE!Hubs) are decentralized, solar-operated energy hubs that work independently of grid-connection and reliably supply remote communities with renewable energy, energy services and safe drinking water. For a small fee, people can rent portable lanterns, lamps and batteries that replace the widespread kerosene lamps, which are more and more expensive and harmful to human health and nature. Additionally, mobile phones can be recharged at the WE!Hubs. A cyber café provides access to computer services and the internet. Thanks to a water treatment unit, people can also get clean drinking water at a fair and affordable price. An intense training and mentoring program on Business management and Social skills fosters local small-scale entrepreneurship.

Solution:
The 'Zero Emission Fridge for Rural Africa' (ZEFRA) is a seed storage silo made of local material. It supports subsistence farmers in Northern Mozambique to sustain food security through reduction of post-harvest losses. Furthermore, the silo helps the farmer families to adapt to climate change that is extending the drought-caused October-to-January 'hunger period.'
A native farmer, Gilberto Tehetere from Mozambique, produced the ZEFRA by developing the low-cost silo using only locally available materials and applying traditional construction techniques. Therefore, the silo is also known as the silo Tehetere.
The basic design of the ZEFRA is a weaved bamboo structure covered with clay on both sides. It stands on a base that incorporates vermin traps to protect the grain from rats and mice, and is installed under a simple shelter to maintain cool, dry and constant conditions. Compared to other metal silos, the ZEFRA is affordable and sustainable as the techniques required rely entirely on existing local knowledge and can easily be replicated without creating dependence on technical assistance or external inputs.